--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is useless attacking the insensible." description: "\"It is useless attacking the insensible.\" — Aesop" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/aesop-1073_attacking_it-is-useless-attacking-the-insensible-2_2945316.jpg" --- # It is useless attacking the insensible. ![“It is useless attacking the insensible.” quote by Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/aesop-1073_attacking_it-is-useless-attacking-the-insensible-2_2945316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/aesop-1073_attacking_it-is-useless-attacking-the-insensible-2_2945316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/aesop-1073_attacking_it-is-useless-attacking-the-insensible-2_2945316.jpg) > “It is useless attacking the insensible.” [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attacking someone who cannot perceive or respond is futile and wasteful. **In simple terms:** Don’t waste effort on the unresponsive. Key Takeaway Focus on those who can engage. Themes communication effort wisdom Mood reflective pragmatic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal relationships - leadership - public speaking Key Concepts foolishness perception Questions to Reflect On - How can you recognize when to disengage? - What alternative approaches exist? A Different Perspective Even the unresponsive may change over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacking/) [Attacking Insensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacking-insensible-4410842/) [Insensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insensible/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useless/) [Useless Attacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useless-attacking-4410843/) ## Related quotes > [Don Quixote followed nature, and being satisfied with his first sleep, did not solicit more. As for Sancho, he never wanted a second, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/don-quixote-followed-nature-and-being-satisfied-with-his-first-sleep/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [It is almost impossible to imagine that any one could be so insensible to the high morality of Mr. Mill's character as to suggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-fawcett/it-is-almost-impossible-to-imagine-that-any-one-could-be-so/) [Millicent Fawcett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-fawcett/) > [It is better to emit a scream in the shape of a theory than to be entirely insensible to the jars and incongruities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-better-to-emit-a-scream-in-the-shape-of-a-theory-than-to-be/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The stones and trees, insensible to time, / Nor age nor wrinkle on their front are seen; / If Winter come, and greenness then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bradstreet/the-stones-and-trees-insensible-to-time-nor-age-nor-wrinkle-on-their/) [Anne Bradstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bradstreet/) > [The man whose whole activity is diverted to inner meditation becomes insensible to all his surroundings. His passions are mere appearances, being sterile. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-durkheim/the-man-whose-whole-activity-is-diverted-to-inner-meditation-becomes-2/) [Emile Durkheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-durkheim/) > [Those who have virtue always in their mouths, and neglect it in practice, are like a harp, which emits a sound pleasing to others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/those-who-have-virtue-always-in-their-mouths-and-neglect-it-in/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [To render ourselves insensible to pain we must forfeit also the possibilities of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/to-render-ourselves-insensible-to-pain-we-must-forfeit-also-the/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [A man is insensible to the relish of prosperity 'til he has tasted adversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/a-man-is-insensible-to-the-relish-of-prosperity-til-he-has-tasted/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [ So, Fabricius, I already have this: that the most true path of the planet \[Mars\] is an ellipse, which Dürer also calls an oval,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/so-fabricius-i-already-have-this-that-the-most-true-path-of-the/) [Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/) > [The conscience of America seems to be paralyzed... We seem to be insensible to the things that are now taking place on motion picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/the-conscience-of-america-seems-to-be-paralyzed-we-seem-to-be/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [To stand well in the estimation of one's country is a happiness that no rational creature can be insensible of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/to-stand-well-in-the-estimation-of-one-s-country-is-a-happiness-that/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [The man whose whole activity is diverted to inner meditation becomes insensible to all his surroundings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-durkheim/the-man-whose-whole-activity-is-diverted-to-inner-meditation-becomes/) [Emile Durkheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-durkheim/) > [“If your mind is not in the present time, your body will look like a dead body, cold and insensible!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-your-mind-is-not-in-the-present-time-your-body-will-look-like-a/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Sorrow and frustration have their power. The world is moved by people with great discontents. Happiness is a drug. It can make men blind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/sorrow-and-frustration-have-their-power-the-world-is-moved-by-people/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [Let no one ask a stronger mark of an excellent love to God, than that we are insensible to our own reputation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-marie-bouvier-de-la-motte-guyon/let-no-one-ask-a-stronger-mark-of-an-excellent-love-to-god-than-that/) [Jeanne Marie Bouvier de la Motte Guyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-marie-bouvier-de-la-motte-guyon/) ## More by Aesop > [“Lay not the blame on me, O sailor, but on the winds. By nature I am as calm and safe as the land itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/lay-not-the-blame-on-me-o-sailor-but-on-the-winds-by-nature-i-am-as/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [It is in vain to expect our prayers to be heard, if we do not strive as well as pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/it-is-in-vain-to-expect-our-prayers-to-be-heard-if-we-do-not-strive/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Beware of a wolf in sheep's clothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/beware-of-a-wolf-in-sheep-s-clothing/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Better a long life of toil than a short one of ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/better-a-long-life-of-toil-than-a-short-one-of-ease/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Don't let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no one else does, the truth - don't let that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/don-t-let-your-special-character-and-values-the-secret-that-you-know/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Every man carries two bags about him, one in front and one behind, and both are full of faults. The bag in front contains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/every-man-carries-two-bags-about-him-one-in-front-and-one-behind-and/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [It pays to be content with your lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/it-pays-to-be-content-with-your-lot/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/be-content-with-your-lot-one-cannot-be-first-in-everything/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Equals make the best friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/equals-make-the-best-friends/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [once upon a time all the rivers combined to protest against the action of the sea in making their waters salt. "When we come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/once-upon-a-time-all-the-rivers-combined-to-protest-against-the/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [In union there is strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/in-union-there-is-strength/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [“Be content with your lot; once cannot be first in everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/be-content-with-your-lot-once-cannot-be-first-in-everything/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [False friends leave you in times of trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/false-friends-leave-you-in-times-of-trouble/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/better-beans-and-bacon-in-peace-than-cakes-and-ale-in-fear/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [“The Sun is bad enough even while he is single, drying up our marshes with his heat as he does. But what will become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/the-sun-is-bad-enough-even-while-he-is-single-drying-up-our-marshes/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) [Explore all 297 Aesop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) ## More Attacking quotes > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Wine is the first weapon that devils use in attacking the young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/wine-is-the-first-weapon-that-devils-use-in-attacking-the-young/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [I've gotten better at calling out coverages, communication, and being vertical when they're attacking me in the paint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivica-zubac/i-ve-gotten-better-at-calling-out-coverages-communication-and-being/) [Ivica Zubac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivica-zubac/) > [Before I signed for Liverpool, I was playing for Newcastle as a No. 10 - basically, I was always attacking. I didn't have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georginio-wijnaldum/before-i-signed-for-liverpool-i-was-playing-for-newcastle-as-a-no-10/) [Georginio Wijnaldum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georginio-wijnaldum/) > [It's a big part of my game, attacking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-walker/it-s-a-big-part-of-my-game-attacking/) [Kyle Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-walker/) > [When I was elected governor of my state, I had a legislature 87 percent Democrat. It was not lost on me that to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/when-i-was-elected-governor-of-my-state-i-had-a-legislature-87/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [This is really good,” Donovan Caine said, attacking his third strawberry pancake. “You sound surprised,” I said. He shrugged. “I just didn’t think an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/this-is-really-good-donovan-caine-said-attacking-his-third-strawberry/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [Dravid Could play attacking cricket like me but i could never play like him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gayle/dravid-could-play-attacking-cricket-like-me-but-i-could-never-play/) [Chris Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gayle/) > [Islamic fundamentalism is attacking us at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/islamic-fundamentalism-is-attacking-us-at-home/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [“California cat that chased off attacking”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/california-cat-that-chased-off-attacking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I listen to candidates spend all their time attacking Barack Obama, I'm glad they're not driving this bus because they'd be looking through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/when-i-listen-to-candidates-spend-all-their-time-attacking-barack/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [For many years the stakes were clear. There were the Arabs attacking us and us defending ourselves, so basically there were no real problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/for-many-years-the-stakes-were-clear-there-were-the-arabs-attacking/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) [Browse all 580 Attacking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attacking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is useless attacking the insensible.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aesop" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/it-is-useless-attacking-the-insensible/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attacking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/it-is-useless-attacking-the-insensible/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/aesop-1073_attacking_it-is-useless-attacking-the-insensible-2_2945316.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/aesop-1073_attacking_it-is-useless-attacking-the-insensible-2_2945316.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/463/aesop-1073_attacking_it-is-useless-attacking-the-insensible-2_2945316.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is useless attacking the insensible.” — Aesop", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Aesop", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is useless attacking the insensible.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/it-is-useless-attacking-the-insensible/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/it-is-useless-attacking-the-insensible/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```